Brass wind instrument



Jan. 21, 1930. E. K. BLEsslNG BRASS WIND INSTRUMENT Filed May l5, 1928 Inl/senin Em Z JCB! Z/Z/z/ LCM/fm \|||||IzAfnH l l I /l Patented Jan. 2l, 193i) UNITE@ STATES PATN'E QFFQE EMIL K. BLESSING, OF EIIKI-IAR-T, INDIANA BRASS VI IND Application led May 15,

The invention relates to slide devices tor wind instruments or brass horns which are employed for tuning the instrument. One object of the invention is to employ but one ,5 slide Jfor tuning to Bb and thereafter adjusting tor the tone A. A further object is to provide such a construct-ion and fitting ot the parts as will avoid undue vibration.

A further object is to eliminate certain struction as will permit the employment of a longer taper mouth pipe or leader to attain more volume, more brilliancy and at the same time secure perfect intonation. A

further object is to reduce the number of air pockets within the slide device to a minimum.

In adjusting the instrument for tuning to Bb the player need not remove the mouth piece from his lips, but can tune while playing.

A further object is to eliminate certain braces heretofore used thus reducing weight and enhancing the appearance of the instrument.

Other objects ot the invention will be clear from the following description.

The invention consists in the Jfeatures and combination and arrangement ot parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a brass horn embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the slide device.

Fig. 3 is a detail view.

In these drawings l indicates the bow forming a part of the slide device which is ot single form. That is to say, the usual tuning slide is omitted and but one slide is employed. This single slide consists of a tube 2 fixed to one end ot the bow l and a. second tube 21 fixed to the other end of the bow.

The tube 2 is of a length7 say, oiE 3J/S over all, with a shoulder 2"7 say 15/3 from the inner or rear end, and on the exterior ot the tube. rlhis tube 2 is slidably mounted in a main tube 3 forming a part ot' the fixed main frame et the instrument. rlhis main tube is screw threaded on its interior at A and receives a nut 5 which is of sleeve form ex- INSTRUMENT 1928. Serial No. 277,878.

teriorly threaded and having its internal diameter the same as the external diameter ot the main part of the tube or slide 2. rlhis nut has its screw thread ot double torni and the interior of the tube 3 is correspondingly threaded to get rapid movement. The nut has an extension 5a to which a sleeve 6 is at taclied by soldering or in any other suitable way, said sleeve having an internal diameter to tit the exterior diameter of the main or tixed tube 3 over which said sleeve extends rearwardly from the nut.

The sleeve is linurled at .7 so that it may be readily turned, and when so turned it turns the nut, and as the end ot the nut bears against the end 8 oit the bow, said bow is moved with its slide tubes 2 and 2a in relation to the main tubes in which they are mounted and thus the instrument can be accurately tuned-for Bb. After this timing has been eiiected the adjustment for A pitch can be made by sliding the bow l with its slide tubes 2 and 2a outwardly. The extent of this outward throw of the slide is determined by the shoulder 2b on the slide tube 2 coming against the inner or rear end ot the nut 5 and 5C.

It will be noted that the portion of the main tube 3 in which the screw thread is formed is ot larger diameter than the rest of said main tube for purpose ot' providing sufficient stock for the screw thread.

The sleeve 6 which forms the finger piece or operating member lits closely upon the smooth cylindrical exterior of this enlarged portion ot the main tube and it thus holds the nut against vibration by compensating for any looseness that may develop in the screw thread due to wear.

The double thread is for the purpose of securing a reasonably rapid operation during the tuning action.

With the instrument as above described we have capacit-y to tune to Bb quickly and to a nicety by the screw thread adjustment with a. positive and accurate arresting of a throw-slide to get the tone AA on the instrument.

By using but a single slide performing the twofold purpose of tuning to Bb and thereafter throwing to position for the tone 100 A, I can embody in the instrument a longer Ataper moiith-pipe at 9. The extent of this of intonation. Not only this, but by using only one sliding memberinstead of two for tuning to Bb and thereafter obtaining the A adjustment, I am enabled to use comparatively long tubes Q and 2a and the long bearing thus afforded between these tubes and the main tubes in which they slide prevents binding of the slide and undue strain and wear which ordinarily results from a short slide.

By the use of the nut for timing to Bb, nicety and ease of adjustment is attained and Vthe possibility of overthrow Vis avoided which is an objection to a slide adjustment. Further the tuning for Bb can be accomplished while the mouth piece is held at the FIS Alips of the player, the timing ofthe .nut

being readily and conveniently accomplished.

The bow of the single slide is provided with a single brace la. No additional bracing is necessary as the comparatively long bearing engagement of the tubes 2, @la/eliminates the necessity for further bracing. This reduces weight and adds to the appearance of the instrument.

From the above it will be seen that I effect the timing for Bb by a screw nut adjustment, and this nut when set for Vsaid tone Bb acts as a stop for obtaining a setting of the instrument by a throw slide action for the tone A. rihe nut is arranged `onthe interior of the main tube and theV screw threads are thus concealed, and are protected from Ydamage both by the main tube and by the operating. sleeve or Vfinger piece, which encloses the threaded part of the nut when this is adjusted to its outermost position in respect to the main tube. This is a feature of importance because the instrument being formed of brass is susceptible to damage from blows or knocks or rough handling.

As just stated, the outsideV finger piece -or sleeve serves as a cover for the screw threads when the nut is adjusted outwardly and said sleeve thus performs a plurality of functions iii that it serves also as a means for holding the nut against vibration, and as a finger piece or operating member. The inner end of the nutserves as the stop against outward movement of the slide while the outer Yend ofthe nut serves as a stop for the inl Y of the novel features of the invention with any particular form of brass'instrument as theinvention may be used with various kinds 4of horns besides the trumpet illustrated.

It will be observed that the bow whenrin its innermost position is stopped by the nut.

The instrument is so proportioned that when the slide is set all the way in and is arrested by the nut acting as a stop, the pitch of the tone produced is a little higher than Bb i. e. a few more vibrations per second than necessary to producethe tone Bb. yBy turning the nger piece or sleeve the nut will move outward relative 'to the threaded end of the main tube, and as it bears upon the bow l from the start it will move the bow withthe tube sections 2, 2a immediately and the t-one Bb will be produced when the bow is moved out to the proper point.' This tuning having been accomplished the tone A can be produced by sliding the U shaped member consisting of the bow l and tubes 2, 2a outwardly, until the shoulder on tube 2 strikes the rear end of the nut which therefore: acts as a stop. In other words with my improve?, ment both the timing for Bb and the quick adjustment for tone A is attained by means of the nut, which acts in the first instance as the operating member for the slide and in the second instance as the stop for the quicken@ action of the slide to the A position. No additional tuning slide is employed.

By reason of using but a single slide, that is to say, omitting the usual timing slide additionally to the quick change slide, I am en-w abled to use tubes 2, 2a of eXtra length affording long bearings within the main tubes to avoid binding. Further the omission of the usual timing slide Venables me to employ a mouth pipe with a taper of augmented length to give volume and purity of tene.

vI have referred to the high pitch as B flat and the low pitch as A, but it will be understood that I mention-these tones merely as an example, and that theinvention is not-lim-'l ited to instruments thus tuned but is applicable to all other timings well knownin theV art.

- It will be observed that the position of Vthe shoulder 2b of tube 2 is such that whenz the slide is set by turning the nut to the prescribed high pitch position, for example B flat, the arresting of the outthrowV movement of theslide by the shoulder 2b coming against therear end of the nut will give the prescribed Y low pitch tone, for example A.

' I claim:

1. A brass wind instrument having main fixed tubes, a U shaped slide consisting of tubes slidable in the main tubes and connected by VaV bow, and a nutV having screw threaded engagement with one of the main tubes, said Vnut acting as a stop for'the inward movement of the U vshaped slide and as operating means for setting the said slide outward for a given pitch, said nut acting also as a stop for the outward quick adjustment of the slide to another given pitch, the instrument being normally timed to produce a tone slightly higher Vthan the first mentioned pitch when the slide AiioV sof is in its innermost position substantially as described.

2. A brass wind instrument having main tubes with a single slide mounted therein, said slide having comparatively long tubes working inf-the main tubes with a nut for adjusting the slide for a prescribed high pitch and for stopping the slide for a prescribed low pitch when slid outwardly in relation to the main tubes, and a mouth pipe with a taper of augmented length, substantially as described.

3. A brass wind instrument having main iiXed tubes and a U shaped slide consisting of tubes slidable in the main tubes and connected by a bow, a nut screw threaded into the interior of one of the main tubes to serve as an adjustable stop for the outward movement of the slide, and means or operating the nut consisting of a sleeve rotatively mounted on the plain surfaced outer side of the main tube and connected with the nut, said sleeve con* cealing and protecting the threads of said nut, substantially as described.

4. A brass wind instrument according to claim 3 in which the rear end of the nut serves as the stop for the outward movement of the slide, substantially as described.

5. A brass wind instrument having a single tuning slide, a screw nut for setting the slide against the nut,

'or one prescribed initial tone by rotating the nut and thereby causing the same to move axially for imparting movement to the slide, and without removing the instrument from the lips, said nut serving as a stop when the slide is moved relatively to the nut to thereby arrest the slide in another prescribed tone producing position, substantially as described.

6. A brass wind instrument normally tuned at a higher pitch than a prescribed key tone, and having a slide with a screw nut for moving said slide from normal position to tune the instrument for the said key tone, said nut thereafter acting as a stop for the quick change sliding movement oi' said slide to another tone position or for its return to the first tone position, said nut forming the sole means of stopping the slide in both its inner and outer positions, substantially as described.

7. In a brass wind instrument the combination of main fixed tubes, a slide having tubes movable in the main tubes, a nut for actuating the slide to a prescribed high pitch position said nut being exteriorly screw threaded into one of the main tubes, one of the tubes of the slide passing through the nut and having a shoulder so disposed that when the slide is moved outwardly through the nut the said shoulder will arrest the slide xat the low pitch position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EMIL K. BLESSING. 

